The present invention is directed toward a spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine and more particularly, toward an improved spark plug that utilizes a novel arrangement of wedge shaped electrodes and that has a longer life and creates a more consistent spark.
A typical spark plug includes a center electrode and a ground electrode. The two electrodes are spaced apart from each other. When electricity passes across the space between the two electrodes, a spark is created. This spark may be used to ignite a fuel mixture contained within the internal combustion engine to which the spark plug is attached.
While the shapes of the center electrode and ground electrode may vary, typically, the tips of each of these electrodes are axially aligned along the axis of the main body of the spark plug. Different electrode shapes and configurations are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,948 to Garrett, III.
Spark plugs have been proposed in the past that utilize a wedge or knife shaped electrode for either or both the center electrode or the ground electrode. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,490,364 and 1,526,054 to Curran, for example, disclose wedge-shaped electrodes that are axially aligned and parallel to each other and to the axis of the plug body but radially offset therefrom. U.S. Pat. No. 1,192,003 to Schmidt discloses two wedge-shaped electrodes parallel to each other at an angle to the axis of the spark plug and U.S. Pat. No. 1,607,534 to Hantsch discloses two wedged shaped electrodes arranged parallel to each other and which cross the axis of the spark plug body but with each electrode extending radially to the axis of the plug.
Although it is believed that these spark plugs with wedge shaped electrodes are better than standard spark plug designs, it is not believed that they are optimal. None of these patented spark plugs nor other known spark plugs appears to create a consistent spark that moves in the proper manner so as to provide a spark plug with a longer life while providing better performance and increased fuel mileage.